John neff



(No Model.)

J. NEFP, Jr.

PRUNING SHEARS.

No. 852,561. Ratented Nov. 16, 1886.

IViZnems eg PATENT JOHN NEFF, JR, OF PUL'INEY, NEW YORK.

PR UNlNG-SHEARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, $52 ,561, dated November 16, 1886. Application filed Sepember18,1884. Serial N0.143,38. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN NEFF, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Pultney', in the county of Steuben and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pruning-Shears; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in pruning-shears used by gardeners, farmers, and others; and the object is to produce pruningshears in such manner that the steel facing of the hook can be readily removed and replaced when worn out; also,to attach the cutting-blade to the handle, so that it can be readily removed for sharpening or when worn out and replaced, while at the same time it will be held perfectly rigid when in use; also, to furnish means to prevent-the shears from slipping back while making a heavy cut; and, furthermore, to secure the shears together when not in use in such manner that the fastening device will not interfere with the handles when using the shears. I

Withthese objects in view my invention consists in certain features of construction, which will be more fully described hereinafter, and more specifically pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon.

Like letters indicate similar parts in the di fferent figures of the drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the shears in open position. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the shears closed. Fig. 3 is an edge view of Fig, 2. Fig. 4 is a detail view of one handle, showing the interior side and with the blade removed. Fig. 5 is a detail viewof the inner face of the hook and part of the other handle. Fig. 6 is a crosssection on line a: w of Fig. 1.

In the various figures of the drawings, A and B are the handles, secured together by a bolt, a, having a squarepart, to prevent turning, which passes through the joint or eye, as best seen in Fig. 6, and a nut, a. A coiled spring, S, is placed in a recess around the hub of this joint, and the two ends 5 8 project through the'sides and bear against the handles,

so as to hold them in an extended position for.

use. The handle A is formed at its outer end into ahook, (J, andis faced with apiece of steel, 0, which is fitted into a recess, and is then soldere'd, riveted, welded, or brazed in place. This piece of steel is first hardened and then secured in position. The hook is provided with a spur, d, which is to be placed against the obj eet to be cut, and prevents slipping back while making a heavy cut. The other handle, B, is provided witha removable cutting-blade, (2, having a couvexshaped cuttingedge corresponding to the hook, and has two projections or lugs, f and g, which enter into correspondiugly-shaped recesses f and g in the side of thejoint or eye. Said blade is fitted into a depression or recess in the front end, A, of the handle, and is then secured in place by a screw, it.

In the rear end of handle B is fitted a screw,

t, and under the head of said screw, in a suitable recess, is placed a small coiled spring, is, by which the screw is forced outward, and is prevented from interfering with the working of the shears as the handles are brought together. When the shears are not in use, the screw z'is screwed into a hole in a lug, Z, on the handle A and secures them together.

. It will be readily seen that these pruningshears have many advantages over those now in general use, and among them may be meu tioned that the handles, being made of cast or malleable iron, brass, composition, or other similar material, can be used for a longwhile, and by the removable steel face of the hook and the removable blade, that can be readily attached and detached when worn, the cost of the shears is greatly reduced, and it can also be done with great facility; the blade can be removed and replaced without taking the handles apart; the spur on the hook prevents the slip-- ping back of the shears while cutting hard substances or when making a heavy cut, and the fastening device, with its spring, preventslthe screw from working in so as to interfere with the operation of the shears. The shears are more durable, and can be produced at a very small expense, and are not liable to get out of order.

I am aware that removable blades are. old, and do not claim the same, broadly; but by a peculiarity of construction, disclosed herein, I

am enabled to retain a removable blade upon a handle by the use of a single screw, the handle itself having a particular conformation to assist in retaining the blade, as hereinbefore described. The assistance given .by the'handle to the retention of the blade consists in the resistance offered by the flange A to direct pressure at the cutting-edge, and to oscillatory movement of the blade on its single screw, the latter, by the help of the lugsfg,leaving the screw the simple function of retaining the blade in position to be backed by the flanges and recesses.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a pair of pruning-shears, the handle B, having the flange A and projection A, and the removable blade E, provided with lugs f g, secured to the blade by a single screw, h, sub- 20 stantially as specified.

2. The combination of the handle A,having the hook C,provided with the inset steel facing 0, and the adjacent tooth or prong d, cast as a part of the hook, with the handle B, provided 2 5 with the flange A, and lug A, and with the removable blade 0, having the projections f g and single screw h, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I hereby aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN NEFF, JR. Witnesses:

A. H. DENNISTON, JAs. DENNISTON. 

